


There'll Be Days Like This

by blakefancier



Series: Young Lovers [41]
Category: Captain America (Movies)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-12-02
Updated: 2013-12-02
Packaged: 2018-01-03 05:51:21
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,451
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1066681
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/blakefancier/pseuds/blakefancier
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Maria invites Sarah to hang out and Sarah, surprisingly, accepts.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Maria's POV

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Maria invites Sarah for a girl's night out. Sarah, surprisingly, agrees.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I was really worried when I started writing this because it doesn't pass the Bechdel Test at all. Then I realized I was being anxious about nothing because of course it doesn't. These two women have nothing in common but their sons, of course they're gonna talk about their kids. Pfffft. Then I got over it.

The bar was a quiet little place, clean, with professional clientele, and they didn’t water the drinks. Maria liked the place and she was glad she found it. She was on her second gin and tonic when Sarah walked into the bar. She waved Sarah over, grinning. "I'm glad you could make it."

Sarah pulled out a chair and sat down. "I was a little surprised by the invitation, to be honest." When the waiter came over, Sarah smiled and ordered a shandy. "I don't mean to be rude, but why did you invite me out for drinks?"

She shrugged and played with her glass. "I guess I was feeling a little lonely."

"And I was your first thought?" Sarah looked at her, confused. 

Maria supposed she could understand why Sarah was surprised. Despite Steve and Tony's friendship, they hadn't made it beyond acquaintances. "Actually, you were. Tony's throwing a party tonight and I knew Steve would be there. I thought, what the hell. If you weren't working, you might want a night on the town yourself. Can I ask you a question?" Sarah nodded. "Why did you accept?"

Sarah flushed. "I suppose I was feeling lonely, too. I work so much, I never have time to have any fun. People have stopped asking me to go out with them. It used to not matter, but then Steve…" She closed her mouth as the waiter brought over her drink. 

"Steve is growing up," Maria said., waiting to see how Sarah would reply. 

"Steve is—" Sarah gulped her drink, hands clenched around the glass as if it were a lifeline. "Yeah, he's growing up." 

"And sleeping with a billionaire asshole old enough to be his father."

Sarah sighed, her whole body relaxing suddenly. "You know." 

"I know." Maria reached over and touched Sarah's hand. "It could be worse."

"How?" Sarah let out a bitter laugh. "How could it be worse? You know how he is. You know first hand how he is." 

"I do. I do know how he is. He can be an unmitigated asshole. That said, our relationship was complicated by a lot of factors." She let out a sigh and sipped her gin and tonic. "I'm not saying you shouldn't keep an eye on them. But Howard's not a monster and he's obviously in love. I haven't seen him like this in years." 

"I know that Steve loves him and I'm sure…" Sarah swallowed hard. "And I'm sure he has feelings for Steve, but it's too much. I think it's too much for Steve."

Maria laughed softly. "They're in love. Of course it's too much for Steve. It's probably too much for Howard."

"I feel like I've lost him, Maria. I feel like he's slipped through my fingers and I don't know how to get him back." Sarah wiped her eyes. "He turns eighteen next year. He's going to go off to college. I just wanted one more year, that's all. Just one more year." 

"I know. Trust me, I know. When Tony went off to college, I felt cheated. I felt like my baby had grown up while I wasn't looking. Sometimes I still regret—" She shook her head. "He was better off with Howard. No matter how hard I try to understand, Tony's always been a mystery to me. Besides, he's still my baby. He'll always be my baby. Just like Steve will always be your baby." 

"Yeah." Sarah took a large gulp of her drink. 

"And hey, at least you don’t have to worry about footing the bill for college. If I know Howard, and I do, he's probably got money set aside for Steve's education." Sarah didn't look too happy about that at all, but before she could protest the idea, Maria cut her off. "Howard is going to pay for it whether you like it or not. He loves spending money on the people he loves. When we were dating, he bought me a diamond necklace for our one-month anniversary. And I'm not talking about a little diamond. It was enormous. I'm sure he's been spoiling Steve rotten."

"Actually, no, he hasn't." Sarah cleared her throat. "I gave him a hundred dollar limit on any and all gifts." 

"You didn’t!" Maria laughed. "Poor Howard. He's probably ready to explode!" 

Sarah shrugged and gave Maria a little smile. "I was just worried that Howard might try to buy Steve's affection. Which sounds a little silly when I say it out loud."

"Steve's got a good head on his shoulders, Sarah. I think he'll be fine." Maria squeezed her hand again.

"Maybe." 

"Ugh! You know, I expected us to talk about guys. I just didn’t realize those guys were going to be our sons and my ex-husband." Maria shook herself and made a face. "So I hear you've got a hot, young soldier staying with you. Getting any action?"

"Maria!" Sarah gave her a look of horror. "Of course not! I've known Bucky since he was a toddler." 

"I haven't known Bucky since he was a toddler." Maria winked at her. "And it's been a very long time since I've seen any action. Think you can introduce me?"

Sarah turned a brilliant shade of red. "Now I see where Tony gets it from."

"His endless charm," she said, feeling pleased that she made Sarah blush.

"Yeah, let's go with that." 

"Hey, you wanna go dancing? There's this bar up the street that has a great DJ and lots of hot young men." 

Sarah shook her head. "No, I don't think so. That's never really been my scene." 

"Fine." Maria dug some change out of her purse and got to her feet; the jukebox had a nice selection of music. "Then we'll just dance here." 

"With who?" Sarah looked around the bar. "Most of the guys here seem to be with someone."

Maria wrinkled her nose. "Who needs guys?" 

Sarah covered her face with her hands and let out a soft groan that delighted Maria to no end.


	2. Sarah's POV

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sarah gets home from her night out and is surprised by what she finds.

It was late when Sarah got home from a night of drinking—not a lot of drinking, she wasn't drunk—and dancing with Maria. She was still a little shocked to realize that she'd had a good time with Maria, even if the other woman had purposely embarrassed her at every turn. 

Maybe they'd go out on the town again, that would be nice. 

Sarah had locked the front door behind her, and was thinking about her bed, when she realized that Steve was curled up on the couch in the dark. She turned on the lamp and Steve gave her a wan smile that set off alarms in her head.

"Hey, Mom," he said quietly. Too quietly. "You're home late."

"I went out with Mrs. Stark. Um, Maria." She put down her keys and purse, and sat next to Steve. "What are you doing home, sweetheart? I thought you were gonna stay at Tony's place after the party."

He shrugged. "It got pretty noisy and people were drinking and… I just wanted to come home."

"Did something happen? Did you have a fight with Tony?"

"No." He shook his head. "I just wanted to come home. I thought maybe we could eat popcorn and watch a movie. But you weren't here."

Sarah felt a stab of guilt at that, which she quickly pushed aside. There was obviously something wrong with Steve. She knew that pushing wouldn't help, that he'd tell her in his own time, but for now she had to be here for him. "We could do that now if you want."

"It's late. You're probably tired."

"I am *never* too tired for you, Steve." She reached over and stroked the hair back from his forehead. "I'm your mom. It's my job to be here for you."

For a moment, it looked like Steve was going to cry, but then he visibly pulled himself together. "Can we watch _Sabrina_?"

"Of course." She smiled. "You make the popcorn while I change out of these clothes. Okay?"

He nodded. "We'll meet back here in five."

That didn't give her much time; she rushed off to change and wash the makeup from her face. By the time she got back to the living room, the movie was queued up and Steve was sitting on the couch with a bowl of popcorn in his lap. She settled next to him on the couch and he leaned his head on her shoulder. 

"I love you, Mom," he whispered.

She pressed a kiss to the top of his head, then rested her cheek against his hair. "I love you, too. Always."

Steve let out a shaky breath and pressed 'play' on the remote.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hahahaha! I'm sorry, everyone. But I promise you'll find out what happened to Steve in the next fic.


End file.
